Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults and Swallow Citizens Whole Reprint Edition, Kindle Edition

by Benjamin R. Barber (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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ISBN-13: 978-0393330892

ISBN-10: 0393330893

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"Powerful and disturbing. No one who cares about the future of our public life can afford to ignore this book." —Jackson Lears

A powerful sequel to Benjamin R. Barber's best-selling Jihad vs. McWorld, Consumed offers a vivid portrait of a global economy that overproduces goods and targets children as consumers in a market where there are never enough shoppers—and where the primary goal is no longer to manufacture goods but needs. Disturbing, provocative, and compelling, this book examines phenomena as seemingly disparate as adolescent fashion trends for adults, megachurches, declining voter participation, the privatization of the public sphere, branding, and the rise of online shopping to show how the freedoms of the free market have undermined the freedoms of the deliberative adult citizen. Barber brings together extensive empirical research with an original theoretical framework for understanding our contemporary predicament.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Barber returns to the clashing models of civilization of his earlier Jihad vs. McWorld, focusing this time on the expanding global culture of market forces he claims will destory not only democracy but even capitalism, if left unchecked. He warns of a totalitarian "ethos of induced childishness" that not only seeks to turn the young into aggressive consumers but to arrest the psychological development of adults as well, "freeing" them to indulge in puerile and narcissistic purchases based on "stupid" brand loyalties. The increasing drive toward privatization compounds the problem, generating a "civic schizophrenia" where everybody wants service but nobody wants to serve. His complaint is so broad that it occasionally edges into crankiness, as he blames infantilization for ruining everything from Hollywood movies to NBA basketball; even other liberal cultural commentators, especially Steven Johnson (Everything Bad Is Good for You), come in for much criticism. Barber recognizes that the "Jihadist" rejection of consumer culture is equally undemocratic, but still believes the system can be changed from within, citing the corporate responsibility movement and activist boycotts. His dense analysis can be a tough slog in spots, but the provocative attacks on capitalism's excesses will resonate with many. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Professor Barber is someone worth listening to." The Guardian" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

ASIN : B00125OKRQ
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (March 17, 2008)
Publication date : March 17, 2008
Language : English
File size : 1655 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 417 pages
Lending : Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #282,625 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #82 in Macroeconomics (Kindle Store)
- #143 in Consumer Behavior
- #247 in Economic Conditions (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
74 ratings

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5 star		54%
4 star		24%
3 star		15%
2 star		4%
1 star		3%

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Thoughtworks

Everyone should read this book

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2019

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I wanted to take the time to highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is 10 years old now, and, in fact, the author passed away in 2017. But its illumination of, and warnings concerning, the cost of globalization are as useful and accurate as if they were written last week. With this book, and his book Jihad vs McWorld, Benjamin Barber reminds me of the great Neil Postman in his unapologetic truth-telling. Corporate advertising is well on its way to reducing everyone in the world to spoiled children, willing to accept as freedom the choice of which of their unnecessary products to overpay for, while those with real needs, but no income, become increasingly disposable.

3 people found this helpful

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Philip Fennell

Having been in the business field for over 40 years ...

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2015

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Having been in the business field for over 40 years and seeing firsthand the rise of egregious consumption and the shameless advertising that fuels it, Benjamin Barber has very ably identified many of the contributing factors, not the least of which are our collective cultural boredom and our naive but doomed expectations of fulfillment via uncontrolled acquisition. The infantilist ethos to which he alludes is virtually ubiquitous, not only in the marketplace, but in almost every area of our existence. The collusion of the social influences of our time have coalesced to eviscerate all meaning and purpose from our common pursuits. Or, in the words of Paul David Tripp, "to shrink the size of our lives to the size of our lives." While sadly not giving more insights on how to possibly resist and subvert this pernicious situation, Barber does sound a cogent alarm without being extremist. A valuable resource in further understanding how rampant consumption and self-obsession not only impact our beliefs but our lifestyles as well.

4 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

An insightful and prescient analysis of post.industrial capitalism in an increasingly shrinking civitas.

Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2020

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While not always a smooth ride, Consumed provides a cogent and compelling case for the dangers of encroachment of the public space by private capital and the free market. The reinvention of citizenship into consumerism is the shift in identities from the civic work of adults in a pluralistic society to the private world of brand identity. Religious and nationalistic identities also seek to fill the void left by our tradition of civic religion that makes room for alternative identities while assuring they do not become isolated and so emboldened they present a real threat of atomizing and tribalizing our cohesive heterogeneity. As market capitalism continues to provide toys and gadgets for its first World clientele it completely disregards the very real needs of 80% of the world who simply can't pay for what they need and find themselves in a "race to the bottom" victims of a system that never provides a level playing field.

This book is so much more than a critique of exploitative capitalism and our seduction by marketers and advertisers. It's a warning by the author who joins his voice with many other public intellectuals who, to paraphrase Leonard Cohen, "...see the future and it is murder".

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Justoneopinion

A must read

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2019

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For anyone confused or concerned about the direction common sense and good manners has taken in culture, this will confirm you're not imagining things. Thoroughly resourced and easy to understand, "Consumed", evaluates getting caught up in the herd mentality of global pop culture and the far reaching effects it has on posterity. A true think piece that reassess your world view and questions your own inner workings.

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Amazon Customer

Enjoyed

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2020

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Great read

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David and Yuen Mei

Good Perspective on How Consumers are Manipulated

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2008

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I really enjoyed this book. It isn't perfect, but does offer a perspective on how corporations have socially manipulated people into buying "stuff" they don't really need. After highlighting the heck out of it, I forwarded the book to friends who also enjoyed it. I'm the type of person who can afford a Lexus, but bought the Toyota because I can't rationalize the markup for an equal vehicle. Those who can understand where I am coming from will enjoy this book. Those who would rather purchase a product based on the "brand" may not enjoy it. Hope this helps a bit. =-)

9 people found this helpful

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Sing T. Loc

Hard read but

Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2007

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Benjamin R. Barber's "Consumed" is a hard book to read but a necessary one. Barber tells us how capitalism once met the "needs" of people and that it now just meets what he calls "faux" demand. It's the rise of the protestant ethics and ethos that has made capitalism thrive until today. The rise of infantilization and the dumbing of consumers has given corporations the power to control our so called "wants." Barber doesn't give us a solid solution to this (even he admits it will take a big effort) growing problem but it is a start.

5 people found this helpful

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Whitney Cooper

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2017

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Great book, but incredibly dense and difficult to move through quickly.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Ruhi E. Tuzlak

A Definite "Must-Read" For All Consumers

Reviewed in Canada on July 13, 2015

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We, especially the peoples of Canada and the U.S.A., have become hopelessly addicted to shopping. It has become a serious psychological disorder for many individuals and it has ruined lives of many families. This wonderful book looks at this important phenomenon closely, analyzes the underlying causes of it, and tells us how it has become such a serious social problem. It is a very objective work; it is timely and highly relevant to many of us.

Don't miss it.

Nina Kirsch

Great book

Reviewed in Germany on September 15, 2018

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I like the subject matter of the book and I like the size, design, hardcover and all...
So I can only recommend this book.

Amazon Kunde

We know it, but tend to forget that we are made into hooked and infantile civilians

Reviewed in Germany on July 15, 2016

Verified Purchase

Although published in 2007, this critical book is full of deep thought and sharp observations, and it will (unfortunately) remain being highly relevant for the next decades!

Karrenola

Eye opening book!

Reviewed in Japan on March 5, 2014

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This is AWESOME, the research and care that went into this REAL assessment of various situations in the US. Highly recommended.

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Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults and Swallow Citizens Whole Reprint Edition, Kindle Edition

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